A number of packages each comprising a sealed bag of articles such as candies or the like loaded thereinto by the use of a well-known packaging or bagging machine are generally packed in a box in a plurality of layers one above the other from the bottom of the box while the packages forming each layer are laid down, before the box are sealed with the packages therein. By way of example, if a row of the packages 3 are merely laid down horizontally as shown in FIG. 29, it may often occur that the total length L of the row of the packages 3 amounts to a value greater than the length L1 of the box used to accommodate the packages 3 in pile-up layers. In order to increase the packing density of the packages into the box, it has been suggested to lay the packages 3 down with the neighboring packages partially overlapped with each other as shown in FIG. 30. Specifically, in FIG. 30, the row of the packages 3 are laid down with a leading end of one package 3 overlapping a trailing end of the preceding package 3 with respect to the direction of transport C.
However, when the row of the packages is subsequently transported by means of a conveyor 91 or the like while they are laid in the illustrated manner, and since the leading end of the rearmost package 3 overlays the trailing end of the preceding package 3, there is a possibility that the rearmost one of the packages 4 will be toppled rearwardly to fall down as indicated by the phantom line as flapped by a wind pressure. Where articles such as, for example, potato chips as warmed are packaged, each package 3 is thermally expanded to have an increased thickness and, therefore, such rearward toppling of the rearmost package as discussed above tends to occur. Also, since the amount of overlap permitted between the neighboring packages 3 is substantially fixed, the difference occurs between the total length L of the row of the packages 3 and the length L1 of the box when the packages 3 are desired to be packed in boxes of a different size, and therefore, the packages 3 cannot be satisfactorily and efficiently packed in those boxes.
In view of the above, it has been suggested in, for example, any one of the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications No. 59-134105, published Aug. 1, 1984 and No. 64-84806, published Mar. 30, 1989, that as shown in FIG. 31 the packages 3 in a row are overlapped in a reverse direction, that is, the packages 3 are laid down with a leading end of one package 3 crawled under a trailing end of the preceding package 3 with respect to the direction of transport C. According to this method, although the problem associated with the rearward toppling of the rearmost package 3 can be eliminated, the fact that the amount of overlap permitted between the neighboring packages 3 is fixed renders it difficult for the packages 3 to be packed in boxes of a different size.